Yes,I really, truly am a girl
by It was Cariad this morning
Summary: Have you ever wondered about Fingon's wife? This is my take on what could have happened. Now there is going to be a bit of Maedhros romance too. Non-Slash  Pairings: FingonXOC MaedhrosXOC
1. I hate you, Simpalindale Earilinde

**This is my second fan fiction, and writing this one may mean that 'My version of 'Twisted Version of Cinderella' may be put on hold. The Characters that are non-Silmarillion, are, of course mine. You may recognise Earilinde (sorry about the lack of accents) from Duilin's 'Your Character' story. They are one and the same person. Oh, and do tell me if you think the rating should be different.**

"I'll race you back!" shouted a youthful looking girl on a chestnut horse, as she raced through the woods. "Last one back has to eat Ambarussa's pitiful attempt at baking – and all of it, mind. I doubt they know how to cook anything, but game."

Her companion laughed, good-naturedly, and spurred her own palomino horse after her friend.

"You know that I beat you!" Earilinde chuckled, as she swung off Canyúlëa, her chestnut mare. "Very well, I admit it. When will I have to undertake my punishment?" Lindaliel asked as she led Erellaicë, her horse into the nearby stall to be groomed. "After dinner, I should think. That way you can tell Telvo and Pityo to their faces that they cannot cook to save their lives." Earilinde said, mock-seriously and, laughing, the two girls departed for their rooms.

"I am off to bathe," stated Earilinde as she swung a light gown and thick cloak over her shoulder. "Will you join me?"

"Perhaps later. I need time to think." Her friend replied.

"You know where to find me," and Earilinde strode out of the door, humming quietly to herself. Lindaliel watched her friend's tall, slender figure until it was out of sight. Then she pulled a heavy shawl around her shoulders, and departed their shared quarters.

She was lost in thought, wandering through the muddy paths and breathing in the misty air, when she bumped into someone. He dropped whatever he was carrying and bent to pick them up. Lindaliel hurriedly stooped to help, and realised that she knew him. "L-L-Lord

F-Findekano!" she stuttered nervously, as she felt her face rapidly turn the colour of beetroot (she always did have a soft-spot for Earilinde's foster-half-cousin). "I am so sorry- I didn't see you there! I didn't even know you were in Himring!"

He stood up and gave her one of his dazzling smiles. Lindaliel melted inwardly, and concentrated on not swooning. "Really, it doesn't matter- they were dirty anyway," he said in his calm, level voice, "Maitimo invited me here to celebrate Yuletide, so I will be staying for a few weeks, at the least. And since when did you call me _Lord_. What's wrong with just my name?"

A few _weeks _at the _least! _Lindaliel wondered whether Earilinde had had a hand in this. After all, she had known about her friend's crush, and Maitimo always listened to his foster sister. "Oh, if you don't want me here, I'll leave sooner!" Findekano said, in a hurt tone. _'Orc dung!' _Lindaliel thought. She must've said that aloud. She hurried to correct her mistake. "No, no - that's not what I meant at all. I just thought that you would be busy, being the crown prince and all that…" she trailed off.

"Atar said I could come. He said that it would be good for me to go out and have some fun, rather than sit and listen to boring old courtiers droning on about how edain have settled in the west, and dwarves wanting to trade and various other pointless subjects. Personally, I just think he wants me to find a wife."

'_A WIFE' _Lindaliel thought. '_Findekano would never look at me, with all those other, prettier ellyth around! I guess he just thinks of me as a friend, and just a friend'_

"But why are we standing out here, in the cold!" he exclaimed, "Let us go inside – I have yet to see my cousins!" he took her arm and led her inside.

They found everyone else in the main hall, a large fire blazing and everyone laughing. "And then I walked into the tree, and didn't notice. Then I realised that the tree wasn't a tree, but an ent, and he was furious. I was running for ages!" Earilinde was saying, much to the amusement of the rest of the room. "You never notice where you're going, Alcarnesa, my dear. Always living in your own world," said Rainaheri, a pretty elleth with thick, pale hair and wise grey eyes. "That's okay, they know me there!" replied Earilinde, cheerfully. This statement earned another ripple of laughter, this time Lindaliel and Findekano joined in.

"Findekano!" Maitimo called out, upon seeing his cousin. They embraced each other, while Lindaliel sat down next to Earilinde. "You arranged this didn't you!" she hissed at Earilinde. "I have no idea what you are talking about," the said elleth replied, carefully avoiding her friend's gaze by readjusting the triangular headscarf that was keeping her unruly curls off her face. "Yes you do. Getting Maitimo to invite him here at the same time we're visiting. I nearly died from embarrassment when I bumped into him back there. Literally."

"Look, you'll never catch his attention if you stay quieter than a mouse whenever he talks to you. His father wishes him to marry soon-"

"Precisely. He'll never find me attractive in any way, so I'm just going to give up hope, and stay unmarried forever." At this statement Earilinde rolled her eyes and was about to retort when Iaurochir, a sindarin elf who had been raised in Himring since Raniaheri found him as a baby, abandoned in the surrounding woods, called out: "How about some dancing?" Makalaure provided music willingly, soon joined by Earilinde on a small pipe. Lindaliel got up to dance and was soon followed Earilinde and various other ellyth. In a matter of minutes the room was filled with a whirl of colours. Earilinde was a blur of chestnut and blue as she twirled around the room. However, Findekano only had eyes for Lindaliel who was smiling, eyes closed and lost in the music. He sighed longingly…

**Yes, I have an obsession with dancing elves. Deal with it.**

**Please tell me what you think so far, and if you want anything particular to happen (nothing too extreme, please).**

**And for those little elvish words:**

**Atar- Father (formal)**

**Elleth- female elf (singular)**

**Ellyth- female elves (plural)**

**And for character names:**

**Maitimo- Maedhros**

**Makalaure- Maglor**

**Findekano- Fingon**

**Alcarnesa- Earilinde (also known as Simpalindale or Simpa)**

**(I know this hasn't been written yet, but) Yaveriel- Lindaliel**

**And if you're not quite sure what they look like (my oc's, that is):**

**Earilinde- Tall, slender, green eyes (almond shaped), smooth complexion, rosy cheeked, curly chestnut hair that is waist length (female)**

**Lindaliel- fairly short, slender, sea green eyes, widespread freckles on her face, wavy, honey coloured hair that is waist length (female. Duh)**

**Raniaheri- V. thick pale blonde hair, slender, middling height, grey eyes, pale complexion (female)**

**Iaurochir- Broad, tall, dark hair, dark blue eyes (male) **


	2. Snow! And a twist

**Whooo-hooo! Chapter two- and I've finally thought of a sutiable plot twist - see if you can spot her. I've just given you a clue.**

**-0*0-**

Lindaliel woke up to find a weak beam of sunlight filtering into her bedroom. Ëarilindë was already up, dressed in a thick winter dress, and, most unusually, boots. "

"Lindaliel, look! It's snowed!" she cried, her green eyes alive with exitement. Lindaliel rolled out of bed and peered, bleary-eyed out of the window. The hard ground had been carpeted in a beautiful, glistening, silver blanket of snow. "Come on, sleepy!" Ëarilindë giggled, "Ambarussa are already awake and out there. They've challenged us to a snowball fight. Even Maitimo and Findekano will be joining in." At the mention of Findekano, Lindaliel froze. "Oh, it won't be so bad! You need to get dressed now!" she placed a bundle of cloth into Lindaliel's arms and tossed a cupful of water in her face. Lindaliel shook her head and rubbed her sea-coloured eyes.

"I'll be waiting outside." Ëarilindë slipped behind the door. Lindaliel gave a resigned smile, and set about putting the clothes her friend had left, on.

Despite the thick snow that lay upon the hard ground, it wasn't actually too cold. The weak winter sunlight sparkled on the tracks made by Ëarilindë's sledge, which she was using to drag the snow-cannon, a small, but deadly weapon used in the vicious snowball fights that took place in Himring. Ëarilindë had designed and made it while they still lived in Valinor, and it was a vital part of their attacking tactics.

As soon as they stepped outside Ëarilindë's rosy cheeks and the tips of her ears, nose and fingers, were pink and glowing from the fresh air. They soon got to the site of the battle, to find the other snowball fighters building miniature snow-fortresses in pairs. Maitimo and Findekano, Makalaure and Carnistir, Tyelkormo and Atarinke, Raniaheri and Iaurochir (the two were inseperable), and, of course, Ambarussa. Ëarilindë and Lindaliel greeted them, and set to work on their fortress, which Maitimo and Findekano had kindly started for them. The loose plait that Ëarilindë had gathered her abundant hair into, was gradually coming undone, and glossy curls kept falling into her face. Every now and then she would pause her work to impatiently brush them away. This all-too-familiar gesture reminded Lindaliel of her life in Valinor, and with that, her twin brother, Lindaqua. He was always so dull and uninteresting, so different from her best friend, but Lindaliel had loved him. She remembered the times she would tease him for being too engrossed in his studies, his music or his tedious poems, but he had always put up with it. Lindaliel brushed those thoughts away. She had left Valinor, and she would never see her patient brother again.

Soon the fortresses were finished, and they could start pelting each other with snow. Lindaliel was manning the snow-cannon, shooting jets of snow and firing streams of snowballs. Ëarilindë was aiming and firing snowballs everywhere, each one making their mark precisely. Although Ëarilindë could'nt hit a target with an arrow, she was famed for being lethally accurate with small, easily hidden, throwing knives and, of course, snowballs. She stepped out from behind their spectacular fortress to get a better aim, when one of the Ambarussa (after all these centuries Lindaliel _still_ couldn't tell them apart) stepped behind with a tray (did he steal that from Ëarilindë's personal cooking supplies?) full of snow. He started to tip it down his sister's back, but as soon as the first dusting made contact with her neck Ëarilindë fell onto her sledge (so that was why she had brought it) and pushed off down a gentle slope, getting away before her brother could shower her in a deluge of powdery snow.

Ëarilindë got to the bottom of the decline and looked up to stick her tongue out at her brother. Lindaliel chuckled at her immaturity. The twin that had attacked Ëarilindë returned the face with glee, but got hit in the face with an abnormally large snowball. As he spluttered and coughed Lindaliel saw Ëarilindë shaking with silent mirth. She came back up behind their fortress and the rest of the morning passed with much laughter, and snowballs.

"Fair ladies," Findekano exclaimed after the fight, "I cannot deny that you have bested us in this area of battle. I am honoured to be in your presence."

"Thank you, dear cousin," Ëarilindë replied, mock seriously.

Findekano was about to say something when a messenger ran up to them. "Lord Maedhros, Lady Aerluini," he panted, "A group of slavers have been sighted advancing on Himring from the east!" Ëarilindë winced at the use of her sindarin name – oh, how she hated it. "How long do you think they will be before they are upon us?" Maitimo asked.

"Three hours – at most," the messenger answered.

"And do they have any slaves?" Ëarilindë added.

"They do. Mainly Edain, but there are some Quendi and Avari among them,"

"Then we must ride out to meet them and free the captured!" Findekano cried, his noble spirit aroused. "Yes," Maitimo agreed, "Muster any warriors that are willing to fight!" he said to the messenger. The small elf nodded and ran off.

Ëarilindë got changed into a tunic and leggings, putting the rest of her knives underneath them. She fixed her sword at her waist, and fixed her hair into a warriors braid. She met Maitimo, Findekano and Iaurochir at the stables where she saddled Canyúlëa. Together the four of them rode to meet the rest of the elves who were riding out with them.

The battle was long and serious, nothing like the snowball fight they had had that morning. Luckily, none of their side had been killed, but a few of the captured edain had died of wounds inflicted on them by the slavers. One of the captured Avari caught Ëarilindë's attention. She was of a medium hight, generous in feminine porportions, with skin as flawless as Ëarilindë's and luscious flaxen hair. Ëarilindë saw how the men – including Maitimo and Findekano, looked at her, jaws agape. Yes, Ëarilindë accepted that this elleth was beautiful, but, as another elleth, she was immune to this. She was able to see past this elleth's looks and into her personality. Ëarilindë found out that her name was Bailluth during one of Maitimo and Findekano's long, reverent speeches about her. Bailluth had cold, icy eyes – they were cruel and calculating. Ëarilindë noticed how she flirted openly with the men. She was suspicious, but could not place anything against her, especially as this strange woman seemed to have bewitched the entire male population of Himring.

Ëarilindë was grooming Canyúlëa, the chestnut horse's coat gleaming in the light, when Bailluth approached her. The shorter elleth positioned herself so that her voluptuous body was in good view. "What's your name?" she asked, looking out from beneath her eyelashes coyly. Ëarilindë frowned down at her. "My name," she said stiffly, "Is _Lady _Aerluini," Ëarilindë didn't want to give away her Quenya mother name to anyone she didn't know, least of all, someone who had just offended her by mistaking her for a man. Bailluth looked slightly mollified before disappearing.

Ëarilindë then realized that she was wearing on of Maitimo's cloaks, which hid her reasonably feminine figure. Bailluth must've thought she was male because of that. Still, Ëarilindë despised her. She saw Findekano walk by, Bailluth hanging onto his arm, with a smug look on her face. Lindaliel was not going to be happy.

**soooo – whaddya think? Have you spotted the twist yet? I am going to put a little bit of romance between Maedhros and Ëarilindë (they both are aware that Ëarilindë is adopted). Tell me what you think about that. **


	3. Home at last

They arrived back that day, after spending a week taking the rescued slaves back to their homes. Ëarilindë had hoped that they would be able to get rid of Bailluth, however, for whatever reason, the Valar had decided that they didn't want to make her's, or Lindaliel's life that easy. It turned out that Bailluth had no specific home- she was a wanderer. Maitimo had invited her to live at Himring, eagerly backed up by the majority of the men, including Ambarussa, which was strange, as they had sworn never to fall in love. Ëarilindë doubted that they were in love, though. The way they looked at her seemed merely to be an infatuation. Ëarilindë and Mákálaurë had protested, but to no avail. Maitimo, as senior Lord of Himring, had made up his mind, and that was final.

Ëarilindë hardly ever cried. She found better ways to convey her emotions than just crying. However, when her favourite brother and cousin started ogling a cold, heartless woman, she just had to cry. Especially when she wanted said cousin to end up with her best friend.

As she lay, her head buried in her pillow, a plan began to formulate in her mind. It was a good plan. First she needed to introduce Lindaliel to Bailluth. It wouldn't shock the short elleth as much as simply bumping into her, especially if Bailluth was hanging onto Findekáno's arm, simpering. Then she needed to talk to Maitimo - break Bailluth's 'spell' on him. She got up, wiping her red eyes, and shuffled to the door, still sniffling.

Introducing Bailluth to Lindaliel was the easy part. Lindaliel had been polite to the new elleth, and certainly more civil than Ëarilindë had been. Although any passers by who didn't know Lindaliel well would think that their Lady liked Bailluth, Ëarilindë knew that Lindaliel was harbouring a hatred to rival that of Ëarilindë.

Bringing Maitimo round to his senses would be the difficult bit. He was completely infatuated with Bailluth and Ëarilindë was sure that bringing him onto her side would be hard. She went to his quarters, knowing he would be in there, planning something out.

Ëarilindë was right, as usual, for Maitimo was sitting, hunched up over his desk, pouring through pages and maps with his left hand.

Ëarilindë knocked at the door, out of politeness, more than anything else, as she knew he wouldn't mind her disturbing him. He looked up as she walked in. "What do you want?" he asked, sharply. Ëarilindë jumped, startled at the harshness of his tone. Tears began to well up at the corners of her eyes, but she brushed them away impatiently. "I just wanted to ask my beloved brother if he wanted to take a walk with me," she said, hurt, "But I see he is too busy to bother,"

Maitimo's expression softened and he stood up. "I am not too busy to bother," he said gently, "I would love to walk with you. Allow me to get my cloak,"

"You like Bailluth." it was more of a statement than a question. Maitimo looked down at Ëarilindë, who had turned to face him. "Well, of course I do. Bailluth is a-"

"You know what I mean," Ëarilindë said, "Bailluth is dangerous. I can see it in her eyes."

"Her eyes?" Maitimo scoffed.

"Yes, her eyes. You know what they are like. Look at my eyes and compare them."

Maitimo obeyed. They were now facing each other, his hands resting on her narrow shoulders. She turned her face upwards so he could get a better look at those familiar-yet-strange eyes of hers. Had they always been so deep, so sorrowful? They were filled with kindness, and wisdom that could only be gained with age. The longer he looked at them, the more beautiful they seemed to be. Maitimo realised that he'd been leaning closer to Ëarilindë while he'd been contemplating her eyes. He pulled back quickly. Ëarilindë looked sad about that, or maybe it was just his imagination. She was speaking, he'd only just noticed that. Her musical accent washed over him, like the waves she loved so much. "Will you help me get Findekáno to fall for Lindaliel, and expose Bailluth as the slut she really is?" she asked. Maitimo looked down at her again. Silently he nodded his consent.

**-0*0-**

**So that is my first bit of MaitimoxËarilindë - the first bit of FindekánoxLindaliel was in the first chapter. Tell me what you think.**


End file.
